<div>
  The settings element in the
  <code>settings.xml</code>
  file contains elements used to define values which configure Maven execution
  in various ways, like the
  <code>pom.xml</code>
  , but should not be bundled to any specific project, or distributed to an
  audience. These include values such as the local repository location,
  alternate remote repository servers, and authentication information.
  <br />
  There are two locations where a
  <code>settings.xml</code>
  file per default may live:

  <ul>
    <li>
      The Maven install - default:
      <code>$M2_HOME/conf/settings.xml</code>
    </li>
    <li>
      A user's install - default:
      <code>${user.home}/.m2/settings.xml</code>
    </li>
  </ul>

  The former settings.xml are also called global settings, the latter
  settings.xml are referred to as user settings. If both files exists, their
  contents gets merged, with the user-specific settings.xml being dominant.
  <p>
    see also:
    <a href="https://maven.apache.org/settings.html">
      <code>settings.xml</code>
      reference
    </a>
  </p>
</div>
